After less than two months on the job, Lane College President Logan Hampton said he must cut staff to align expenses with current revenues.

Due to a reduction in enrollment and a shortfall in revenue of $3.3 million, he said 52 employees will be affected in the first round of layoffs, which will be completed by Nov. 1.

"Today, all of our bills are current and up to date, and the institution is strong financially," Hampton said Friday. "We want our institution to remain strong. To do so, it's like any household, we must live within our means."

Hampton said probable cuts will come in dining staff, custodial services and groundskeeping. He will try to retain those involved in "teaching and instruction."

"Faculty is the highest priority," he said.

The school had expected an enrollment of 1,500 this fall but is 238 shy of projections.

"We built our budget on 1,500 students," Hampton said. "We hired the staff, prepared for 1,500. We must make these decisions now."

Hampton said the school had an enrollment of 1,553 students in 2012 and 1,550 in 2013.

"What we've had is a shortfall in tuition that led to a shortfall in revenue of $3.3 million," Hampton said. "We have a staff of 385 on campus, and we have a hiring freeze in place. This is everyone's concern."

Hampton said a significant part of the budget was staff and personnel. Money from the school's endowment has not been accessed.

"If we make these moves now, we can operate without going into our endowment," Hampton said. "But this is one thing that has brought me to my knees."

Hampton said no program, academic or athletic, will be eliminated.

"We have not targeted any program," Hampton said. "We will look at functions, prioritize and continue to do the things we are doing. I have asked our managers to look at their areas, their functions. But behind every one of those functions is a family, a person, a paycheck, real people, real money.

"The difficulty the college is having pales in comparison with what the families affected will have."

Hampton said he did not believe the situation would have any negative effect on donors.

"The cost of tuition at Lane College is $16,400 per year, which includes tuition, fees, room and board," Hampton said. "Our margins are very thin, and we must fix it now. We are committed to the arts and athletics, and our students are the natural ambassadors to the school."